Safety locking device for projectile-fuses or other purposes.



No. 770,182. PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

E. E. MEEEEAM.

- s-AEETYALOGEING DEVICE EOE EEOJEGTILE EUsEs 0E OTHER PUEEosEs..

APPLIGETION FILED MAE. so. 1901. EENEWED' JAN. 4^, 1902. '11o MODEL,

Patented September 1 3, '1904.

Pam-SNT @erica HENRY I. MERRIAM, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

SAFETY LOCKING DEVICE FOR PHOlECTlLE-FUSES 0R OTHER PURPOSES-vSPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,182, datedSeptember 13, 1904, Application filed March 30, 1901. Renewed anuary'll,1902. Serial No. 88,444. (No model.)

To LZ/Z 'wh/ont t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, HENRY P. MERRIAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county and State of N ew York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Locking Devicesfor Projectile-Fuses or for other Purposes, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates toimprovements in devices for securely locking acontrolled movable part of a mechanism in its inoperative position. Suchdevices may-be used for many purposes, but I have designed myimprovements particularly for use with percussionfuses for projectiles;and the object of my invention as applied to this use is to simplify andimprove the structure and operation of such fuses to insure greatersafety in handling the projectiles and at the Asame time maintain thecertainty of exploding' the shell lafter it strikes the target.

My invention consists,broadly,of a plurality of mutually' lockingA orinterlocking bolts, pistons, or parts which are capable of freesimultaneousmovement, but are incapable of individual movement,incombination with a movable .part which yis normally controlled andheld against movement by the said interlocking' parts, whereby saidcontrolled part is allowed to operate only when the interlock*- ingparts move simultaneously. I prefer to mount the interlocking parts upona rotatable body in such a manner that they can be moved simultaneouslyby centrifugal force.

My invention also consists,broadly,of a controlled movable partincombination with a plurality of cent-rifugally-releascd.controllingparts, which are arranged to individually and collectively lock themovable part against movement. y

My improved locking devices in their application to projectile-fuses, ashereinafter set forth, apply to the class of percussion-fuses in whichthe hammer-securing devices are actuated (for releasing the hammer inthe fuse) vby the centrifugal force of the rapidly-revolving shell;

My invention consists more specifically in providing a fuse with aplurality of centrifugally-operated bolts or pistons which interywillinterlock to hold the bolts or pistons `in hammer-retaining position andwhich will allow the bolts or pistons to move into hammer-releasingposition only when all of the bolts or pistons move simultaneously. Theboltsor pistons may also be shaped-to fit snugly together at their innerends and be connected through suitable intermediate devices, whereby theindividual bolts or pis-.I

tons are prevented from moving' alone, but l all of the bolts or pistonswill be allowed Ato move freely when they move sim'ultaneously'f` Theseintermediate devices If or interlocking the bolts or pistons andpreventing their movement except when they move simultaneously may beformed in a variety of Ways. For instance, I may provide each bolt orpiston with a rigidly-secured singularly-.projecting pin which hassliding engagement with an angularly-,extending recess or cavity in anadjacent bolt or piston, in which case the fusebody should havelaterally-extendingcuts or recesses in the Walls separating thepistonchambers to allow the lateral movement of said pins when the boltsor pistons move out- Ward.L The simultaneous movement of the bolts orpistons and the locking of the boltsv against individual movement mayalso be effected by means of a disk or plate rotatably mounted in thefuse-body and formed with inclined slots in which engage pins projectingfrom the belts or pistons. rl`he hammer of the fuse is preferablysupported in its inoperative position in the fuse-body by means of alongitudinally-movable pin which rests in a suitable socket in thefuse-body and is supportedpin engagement with tiV i. hammer by IOO 'readiness to be thrown forward into engagement with the firing-pins atthe moment the projectile strikes the target. p

In addition to supporting the hammer in its inoperative position thehammer-securing I pin, which is supported by the interlocking bol-ts orpistons, may also engage the heads of the firing-pins, which are mountedin suitable inclined sockets in the fuse-body around the central-socketof'the hammer-retaining pin. This feature is of considerable importancein connection with the support of the hammer in its inoperativeposition, as it prevents the contact of the firing-pins with the primersand lessens the liability of the premature explosion of the shell.

As a modification of the intermediate mechanism between the bolts orpistons and the hammer for retaining the hammer in its inoperativeposition I may provide a plurality of hammer-engaging pins which aresupported in `sockets in the' fuse-body and rest upon the individuallocking bolts 'or pistons, the bolts or pistons being formed with slotsor openings through them at proper points to allow the retaining-pins tobe pressed forwardly through the bolts or pistons when the latter arethrown into hammer-releasing position by the centrifugal force of theshell. In this form of the device the hammer-retaining pins may also beused as firing-pins, the percussion-caps or fulminates being mounted inthe sockets into which pins project, either in the bolts or pistons orin the fuse-body beyond the openings in the bolts or lpistons in properposition to be engaged by the combined tiring-pins and hammer-supportingpins when the shell strikes the target. In this form of the device, aswell as in the preferred form above referred to, it will be observedthat the hammer-securing bolts or pistons also serve the purpose ofholdingr the firingpins in inope: ative position.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, l will firstdescribe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings andafterward point out the novelty with more particularity in the annexedclaims.

l have confined the illustration and description of my invention toseveral of its applications to fuses for projectiles, but I would haveit understood that l do not limit myself to this application of myinvention.

ln said drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of afuse embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view ofthe same, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail viewsimilar to Fig. 1, showing slight modifications. Fig. 4

Waise and 7 are detail plan views of modified arrangements of theinterlocking hammer-sccuringbolts or pistons.

My improvements in fuses are applicable to any form ofpercussion-fuse,whether it be designed for a "point-fuse or a base-fuse.In Figs. l and 2 the improvements are shown applied to a point-fuse. InFig. 5 a modification of the improvement is shown applied to abase-fuse.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 is the body of the fuse, externallythreaded at 2 and having a head 3 formed with the central threadedreduced portion 4, which is threaded into the socket or cavity of thebody 1. The socket or cavity 5 of the body 1 is formed with a seat orrecess 6,in which normally rests the ball-hammer 7. The hammer 7 issurrounded by a spring-band 8, formed with in- `tegral spring-fingers 9,which are bent inwardly into engagement with the hammer for maintainingit upon its seat under certain conditions. l0 10 areports or passagesleading through the inner end of the fuse-body 1 for the passage of theflash from the magazines of the fuse (hereinafter referred to) to theburst-ing charge of the shell. Vilthin the h cad 3 of the fuse aremounted the primers and their firing-pins, the magazines of powder whichare ignited bythe explosion of the primers and flash through the cavityof the fuse-body, and the securing device for holding the firing-pinsand the hammer in inoper-' ative position. In this particular form ofthe fuse (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) l have arranged a series of threepowder-magazines 15 at equal distances apart within the Jt'use-head,andthree primers 16 of ordinary construction intermediately of themagazines and communicating with the magazines through a train of powderin the annular channel 17, formed between the fuse-body 1 and head 3 andcommunicating with the powder-magazines 15 th rough the ports oropenings 18 and with the primers through the ports 19. This arrangementis s uch that if any one of the primers is set off it will Hash into andignite the powder-train in the annular chanuel 17, through which theiash will pass and set off the three magazines of powder, which will ashthrohugh the cavity of the fuse and ignite the bursting charge of theshell. The three primers 16 are mountcd at the outer ends of theinwardly-inclined sockets 20, in which rest the firing-pins 25, formedwith flared heads 25? and pointed ends 25". The primers 16 are heldwithin their sockets at the ends of the recesses 2O by means of theanvil-screws 21. I

30 is a socket or recess formed centrally within the fuse-head 3, and 3lis a longitudinally-movable hammer-retaining pin resting loosely withinthe socket 30 and formed at its IOO inner en d with a steelhammer-engaging portion This pin 31 is held normally in the positionshown in Fig. l. in which position it engages the hammer 7-and holds itfirmly in its seat 6 in the fuse-body, and also the flaringheads Q51,Lof the firing-pins to hold them in inoperative position in theirrecesses. The means for holding the hammer-securing pin in itsinoperative position and for releasing it at the proper time to placethe hammer and tiring-pins in readiness for exploding the shellconstitutes the main part of my invention, which I will now describe.

rlhe fuse-head 3 has bored into it a series of three radial channels 40,which are arranged at an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees apartand are located directly over the three powder-magazines l5, abovedescribed. These channels 40 meet in the center or the fuse-head 3 andare in open communication with the central recess orvsocket 30, in whichis mounted the hameiner-securing pin'l. Mounted within the threeradially-extendingl channels 40 are the three bolts or pistons 45, eachone or' which is formed at its inner end with an angular projection ornose 4G. The projections or noses 46 of the bolts or pistons 45 areidentical and form complements oi each other, so

that when the bolts orpistons are in their inner or hammer-retainingposition the noses or projections will mutually interlock-that is, the.noseot' each bolt interlocks with the nose of one ot' the others-sothat no one of the bolts or pistons can be movedA outwardlyindividually; but all can readily be moved outwardly it' they are movedsimultaneously. The locking noses or projections upon the inner ends ofthe bolts or pistons 45 extend at an angle ot' thirty degne-esv Jfromthe bolts or pistons, and their inner ends are beveled at the sameangle, so that the three projections or noses of the bolts will iitsnugly together and completely close the recess or socket 3U, withinwhich the securing-pin 31 rests, said securingpin engaging the noses orprojections o1 the bolts or pistons and being held thereby intoengagement with the hammer and the tiring-- pins. l

ln the otter end of each of the radial channels 40 is mounted a spiralspring 50, which engages the end of the bolt or piston 45 and is neld inengagement by means of a thin metal band 5l, which surrounds theinse-head 3.

1n Figs. 3 and 4 l. show a slightly-modified 55 form of my improvedfuse. The primers, j'iowder-magazines, firing-pins, and hammer are thesame as above described. rl.`he securing-pin 'for the tiring-pins andhammer is very similar to the form just described; but in place o1 thesteel haImper-engaging part l. have lrollowed out the pin 31 and placedtherein an expansion-spring 60, which engages the hammer 7 and may berelied upon to take the place et the hammer-securing spring d 9, (shownin Fig. 1,) but which is 'also of value in assislfaa the forwardmovement or the lxammer-retain ing pin 31 after th(l interh'arhing boilsor pistons are thrown outwardly in their channels. In this modified formof thedeviciI l ha ve also changed the arrangement of thelnnnnier-securing bolts or pistons in that the inner ends oi' the boltsor pistons do not have the intel'- loclring noses or projections, butare merely beveled ol' to `tit snugly together. To take the place of theinterlocking' noses or projections of the preferred arrangement of thedevices shown in Fig. l, I mount upon a centra-l stud o5 of thefuse-head a rotary disk or plate 66, in which is cut a series ot threeinclined Slots 67. Projecting upx: ardly from the bolts or pistons arethe pins. or lugs (58, which i pass through the radial slots 69, formedin the walls of the channels and engage at their upper ends in theinclined slots 67 of the rotary disk (56. 1t will be observedthat withthis arrangement all of the locking bolts or pistons will have to moveoutwardly simultaneis resisted by the others through the pin-andslotconnection with the rotary disk. '.lhe bolts can, however, move treel ywhen they all moxve simultaneously.

ln Fig. 5 I have shown a vfurther modifiez tion ot my invention, inwhich a cylindrical hammer 7() is arranged to be supported by means of aseries of three combined hammersecuring pins and tiring-pins. Vln thisform of the devicel have arranged the fuse as a base-fuse. vEach ofthe'three bolts or pistons 45 (formed as shown in Figs. 2, 4, 6, or 7)has a transverse slot or channel 75 cutpart way through it, and vrestingin this slot or channel and in the openingl 76 in the fusebodyo is oneot' the series ol'l combined hammer-retaining and firing pins 77. Theslot 75 is continued at 7 8 entirely through the bolt or piston 45 andcontinued at SO in lin'e with the recess or socket 76, in which channelor recess 8O is mounted a primer 81,-into contact with which thefiring-pin is forced by the hammer when the shell strikes vthe target."In this form of the fuse it will be observed that the plurality ofcombined han'imer-retaining' and liring pins are held in engagen'ientwith the hammer (for holding the hannner in its inoperative position inthe fuse-cavity) and out ot' engagement with the primers while theinterlocking bolts or pistons are in their inner position. As soon astle locking bolts or pistons are moved outwardly by the cenl ing andliring pins are free to movel forwardly through the openings or recessesin the bolts or pistons until they rest upon the primera which aresupported in line with said pins. The release of the hammer-retainingand tiring pins releases the hammer in the chamber of the 'fuse-body andit is 'ire'e to strike the ously, as the individual movement of any one.

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trifugal force of the shell they hammer-retainaxis of its bolt orpiston.

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In Fig. 7 I show a further modification of` the interlocking means forpreventing individual movement of the bolts or pistons and allowing freesimultaneous movement. In this arrangement 4the inner ends of the boltsor pistons are shaped to fit snugly together, as in Fig. 4. Projectingfrom one of the inner faces of each bolt or piston L5 is a pin orY rod85, which extends from Athe bolt or piston at an angle of thirty degreesto the longitudinal axis of the bolt or piston. This pin or rod iits andslides in a socket 86, formed in an adjacent bolt or piston andextending at au angle of thirty degrees to the longitudinal Each bolt orpiston of the series of three has a pin or rod 85 projecting' at anangle from it and rigidly secured to it, and each bolt or piston isformed with anangularly-extending socket 86, into which one of the pinsor rods 85 projects. A Lateral' cuts or recesses 87 are formed in thefuse-A body to permit the lateral movement of the pins or -rods 85 whenthe bolts or pistons move outwardly simultaneously. It will be clearthat any movement of one of4 the bolts or pistons individually will beresisted by the pins 85, connecting said piston with ,the other two.When, however, the bolts vor pistons move simultaneously under thecentrifugal forceof the rapidly-revolving shell, it will be observedthat the movement of the bolts or pistons at an angle to each other willallow for the lateral movement of the rigidly-connected pins or rods andthe bolts or pistons will move freely in their sockets to release thehammer and iring-pins, as already explained.

The operation of my improvedfuse may be briefiy described as follows:When the shell equipped with my improved fuse is shot from the gun, ithas imparted to it a rotating as well' as a forward impulse. The rapidrevolution of the shell as. it travels through the gun and afterwardthrough the air tends to throw outwardly the series oflaterally-extending locking bolts or pistons; but until the centrifugalforce exerted upon these parts is suficient to overcome the friction 'ofthe bolts or pistons in their sockets (and this friction 1s ofconsiderable magnitude while the shell is gaining in yelocity in thegun) and the Y pressureof their springs and the air-cushions formed inthe upper ends of their channels said .bolts or pistons will not bemoved outwardly. At the moment, however, that the centrifugal force issufficiently strong to overcome these retarding influences upon thebolts or `pistons said bolts or pistons will be thrown outwardlysimultaneously in their channels, and this will leave thehammer-retaining pin or pins) free to move forward in the fuse-head,which it (or they) will do immediately by reason of the fact that theflight of the shell is more or less retarded by the friction of the air,while the inertia of the hammer-securing pin (or pins) and hammer willtend to move them forwardly in the fuse-body. This tend.- ency to moveforwardly in the fuse-body on the part of the hammer is resisted bythespring 8 9, which engages the hammer; but as there is nothing toprevent lthe forward movement of the hammer-retaining pin it moves'for-`ward in its socket out of the path of the hammer and the firing-pins.If for any' reason thefriction upon the hammer-securing pin shouldprevent its free forward movement by reason of its inertia, theexpansion-spring shown in Fig. 3 in the drawings will assist it in itsforward movement. Still it is not absolutely necessary that this pinshould be in its extreme forward position before the shell strikes thetarget. The firing-pins also move forwardly in their sockets; intoengagement with the primers. Vhen the shell strikes the target, thehammer will be suddenly thrown into engagement with the heads of thefiringpins and one or more of the primers will be fired and the iashwill pass through the powder train and magazines into the burstingcharge of the shell.

I am aware that it has been proposed to pro Vide percussion-fuses withcentrifugally-operated means for releasing the hammer; but I am notaware that it has ever been proposed roo to provide a fuse or any otherdevice of the character described with a pluralityof cen-`trifugally-released controlling parts which are arrangedV toindividually and collectively lock a movable part (such as a hammer or asecuring-pin) against movement. \I am also not aware that it has everbeen proposed to provide a plurality of mutually-interlockinghammer-securing devices which ar adapted to be moved intohammer-releasingposition by simultaneous movement caused b,4 centrifugalforce and in which the indididuallylocking devicesllcannot be movedsep'arately.

While I have described and illustr ted my invention as applied to a fusefor pr y jectiles, I would have it understood that the main fea-- tureof my invention-*via the mutually locking or interlocking bolts,pistons,` or parts which are capable of free simultaneous movement, buteffectively prevent the individual movement of any one of the bolts,pistons, or

parts, in combination with a movable part which is normally held againstmovement by the series of interlqrffkling bolts, jpistons, or

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parts-is of broader application. I desire to 'cover this combination ofelements in its broadest sense for whatever purpose it may be employed.

While I have shown andI described in the present application aprojectile-fuse comprising a fuse-body, a primer supported in thefuse-body, a tiring-pin movably mounted in the fuse-body inoperative'relation to the primer, a hammer also movably mounted in thefuse-body independent of and in operative relation to the dringpin, andcentrifugallyreleased securing means normallyholding the liring-pin inits inactive position away from the primer' and also normally holding`the hammer in inactive position, 1 Would have it clearly understood thatI do not claim this construction of fuse in my present invention, sincesuoli structure is broadly claimed in my copending divisionalapplication, Serial No. 217,517, filed July 21, 1904:. vThe vclaims inmy present case are nonY confined to the structure of the Securing meanscomprising interlocking centrifugally-operated parts which are capableof simultaneous movement and incapable of individual movement.

Having thus fully described my invention, the following .is what I claimas new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. vln adevice of the character described, the combination of acontrolled movable part, with a plurality of centrifugally-operated.controlling parts which are normally free to move simultaneously andare vincapable of individual movement, substantially as set forth.

2. .In a device ofthe character described, the combination of acontrolled movable part, with a plurality of centrifuga-lly-operatedcontrolling parts, and means normally preventing the movementof thecontrolling parts and adapted to automatically release them when theyare moved simultaneously by .centrifugal force, substantially as setforth.

3. ln a device of the character described, the combination of acontrolled movable part, with a plurality of centrifugally-operatedcontrol ling parts, and means actuated by the centrif' ugal movement ofthe parts, adapted to insure the simultaneous movement of thecontrolling parts, and normally prevent the individual movement of saidcontrolling parts, substantially as set forth.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of acontrolled movable part, with a plurality of radially-movablecontrolling' parts, and means normally preventing` the individualmovement of the controlling' parts, and compelling the simultaneousmovement of said controlling parts when they are operated, substantiallyas set forth.

ln a device of the character described, the combination of alongitudinallymovable controlled part, with a plurality ofradially-movalfle controlling parts, and means normally preventing theindividual movement of the controlling parts and compelling thesimultaneous movement of said controlling parts when they are operated,substantially as set forth.

6. In adevice of the character described, the combination of acontrolled movable part.I with aplurality of centrifugally-imeratedcontrolling parts having means for mutually locking or interlockingtliennsaid interlocking means preventing the individual movement of anyone of the interlocked parts and allowing the free-simultaneous movementof all of said ,pai-ts, substantially as set forth.

7. In adevice ofthe character described, the combination of a controlledmovable part, with plurality of radially movable mutually locked orintel-locked controlling parts which are free to move simultaneously andare held against individual movement,substantially as set forth. K

8. In adevice of the character described, the combination of alongitudinally-movable controlled part, with a plurality of mutuallylocked or interlocked controlling parts mount-` ed to move radially in aplane transverse to the movement of said controlled part, saidcontrolling parts being free to move simultaneously and held againstindividual movement, substantially as set forth.

9. In a device of the characterdescribed, the combination of a pluralityof controlled movable parts, with a plurality of mutually locked orinterlocked controlling parts which are free to move simultaneously andare held against individual movement, substantially as set forth. Y

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of acontrolled movablev part, with a plurality of inter-locked controllingparts, each of nsaid controlling parts engaging the controlled part andheld against individual movement, and the said controlling parts beingfree to move sim'ultaneously, substantially as set forth. I

11. ln a device of the character described, the combination of acontrolled'movable part, with a plurality of interlocked controllingparts which are free to move simultaneously, each of said controllingparts normally engaging and locking another controlling part,substantially as set forth.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of asupporting-body, and a controlled movable part freely mounted in asocket or recess in said body, with a plurality of interlockedcontrolling parts movably mounted in recesses or sockets insaid body ina plane transverse to the controlled' part, `:tud normally engaging andholding said controlled part, said interlocked controlling parts beingfree to move simultaneously in their sockets for releasing thecontrolled part and each of the controlling parts being held againstindividual movement, substantially as set forth.

13. In a device of the character described,

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the combination of asu pporting-body, formed with a longitudinal socketor recess and a plurality of radially and transversely extending socketsor recesses communicating With said longitudinal socket or recess, acontrolled part movably mounted in said longitudinal socket or recess,and a plurality of mutually locked or -interlocked controlling partsslidingly mounted in said radial sockets or recesses and held againstindividual movement, but free to move simultaneously, substantially asset forth.

14. In a device of the character described, the combination of acontrolled movable part, with a plurality ofcentrifugallyrperatedrelatively movable controllingr parts normallyholding said controlled part in its inactive p osition and adapted, bytheir relative movement, to release said controlled part, saidcontrolling parts being normally free to move simultaneously bycentrifugal force and incapable of independent movement, substantiallyas set forth.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination of acontrolled movable part, with a plurality of securing devices arrangedto normally secure the controlled movable part against motion andadapted, when released, to move longitudinally with s aid controlledpart, and eentrifugally-operated controlling parts for locking saidsecuring devices against motion, said controlling parts being` normallyfree to move simultaneously by centrifugal force and held againstindividual movement, substantially as set forth.

16. In a device of the character described, the combination of acontrolled movable part, with a securing part arranged to normallyprevent the movement of the controlled part and adapted, when released,to move longitudinally With said controlled part, and a plurality ofcentrifugally-operated bolts or pistons capable of simultaneous movementand incapable of individual movement, said bolts or pistons beingarranged to lock said securing part against motion, substantially as setforth.

17. In a fuse for projectiles, the combination of a fuse-body', a hammermovably sup- .ported in the fuse-body, and a plurality of centrifugallyoperated hammercontrolling devices sustaining the hammer and normallycapable of free simultaneous movement underv the action of centrifugalforce to free the hammer and incapable of individual movement,substantially as set forth.

18. In a fusefor projectiles, the combination of a fus body, a hammersupported in the fuse-body, and a hammer-controllingdevicecomprising aplurality of mutually locking or interlocking' bolts or pistons capableof simultaneous movement and incapable ofindividual movement,substantially as set forth.

19. In a fuse for projectiles, the combination of a fuse-body, a hammersupported in the fuse-body, and a hammer-controlling deviceycomprising aplurality Iof -centrifugallyoperated mutually lockingor interlocking'bo-lts or pistons capable of simultaneous ,movement and incapable ofindividual movement, substantially as set forth.

20. In a fuse for projectiles, the combination of a fuse-body, a hammersupported -in the fuse-body and adapted, when released, to movelongitudinally in the fuse-body, and a hammer-controlling devicecomprisinga plu. rality of bolts or pistons movably mounted intransversely-extending sockets or recesses for med in the fuse-body,and'means for interlocking said bolts or pistons, whereby the bolts orpistons will be free to move simultaneously and Will be held'againstindividual movement, substantially as set forth.

21.' In a' fuse for projectiles, the combinaytion of a fuse-body, ahammersupported in the fuse-body and adapted, .when released, to movelongitudinally in the fusebodysaid fuse-body being formed with aplurality of sockets or recesses extending transversely and radiallyfrom its central longitudinal axis; and a plurality ofcentrifugally-operated interlocking bolts or pistons movably mounted insaid radial sockets or' recesses and capable of free simultaneousmovement and incapable of individual movement, substantially as setforth. l

22. In a fuse lfor projectiles, the combination of a-fuse-body, a hammerymovably supported in the'fuse-body, and a hammer-con-V trolling devicecomprising a plurality of interlocking bolts or pistons, each bolt orpiston IO0 having a projecting part which engages and locks another boltor piston, whereby the bolts or pistons are free to move simultaneouslybut are incapable of individual movement, substantially asset forth.

23. In a fusejfor projectiles, the combination of -a fusebody, a hammermovably supported in the fuse-body, and a hammer-controlling devicecomprising a plurality of in- -terlocking bolts o r pistons, each boltor piston 1 IO having a rod or pin projecting at an angle from it andengaging in an angularly-extendingsocket or recess formed in an adjacentbolt or piston, whereby the bolts or pistons are free to movesimultaneously and are inca- IIS pable of individual movement,substantially as set forth.

24. In a fuse for projectiles, the combination ofa-fuse-body, a hammermovably supported in the fuse-body, a hammer-securing pin, aplurality ofcentrifugally-operated con-Y trolling devicesI adapted to individuallyand collectively engage and lock the securingpin in hammer-securingposition. and means, actu# ated by the controlling devices when they arecentrifugally cperated, to insure the simul-v taneous movement ofsaid-controlling parts, said means normally preventing the move-'ment'of the controlling devices, substantially as set forth.v r 3o 25.In afuse for projectiles, the combination ot' a fuse-body, a hammermovably mounted in the fuse-body, a plurality ofinterlocking bolts orpistons capable Dot' free simultaneous movement apd incapableofindividual movement, and a hammer-securing pin engaging l the hammer andsupported by the interlocking bolts or pistons, substantially as setforth.

26. In a fusefor projectiles, the combination of a fuse-body, a'hammermovably sup-- ported in the fuse-body, a firing-pin movably mounted inthe fuse-body independently of the hammer, a securing-pin engaging thefiring-pin, and a plurality of centrifugally-operated devices engagingthe securing-pin and capable of simultaneous movement and incapable ofindividual movement, substantially as set forth. 27. In a fuse forprojectiles, the combination of a fuse-body, with a firing-pin movablymounted in the fuse-body, and a plurality of centrifugally-operatedrelatively and simultaneously movable controlling parts arranged tonormally hold said firing-pin in its inactive position and adapted bytheir relative movement to free the firing-pin, and' means preventingthe independent movement of said controlling parts, substantially as setforth.

28. In a fuse for projectiles, the combina'- tion of afuse-body, ahammer movably mounted in 'the fuse-body, a firing-pin movably mountedin the fuse -body independently of the hammer, a securing-pin adapted toindependently engage the hammer and. firing-pin and'hold them ininoperative position, and a plurality of centrifugally operated devicesadapted to normally engage the securing-pin and capable of simultaneousAmovement and incapable ,of individual movement, substantially as setforth.

29. In a fuse for projectiles, the combination ofa fuse-body, a hammermovably mounted in the fuse-body, a firing-pin also movably mounted inthe fuse-body, and a plurality of interlocking bolts or pistons capableof free simultaneous movement andincapable of in- HENRY P.. MERRI'AM.Witnesses J. GREEN,

WM. E. KNIGHT.

